NEWS ROUNDUP: 13 - 19 October
- James Tradgett
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
There's a definite nip in the air as the winter begins to creep up on us, so to combat the cold we have plenty of stagey news to warm us up and carry us through, so here are the biggest theatrical news stories from the past week.
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DANIEL'S HUSBAND
Full cast announced for winter run
The full cast for the UK premiere of the hit off-broadway play “Daniel’s Husband” has been revealed, written by Michael McKeever, the play tells the story of Daniel and Mitchell, a gay couple with a seemingly perfect life that is about to descend into crisis. The cast will include David Bedella (& Juliet) as Barry, Luke Fetherston (Big Mood) as Mitchell, Raiko Gohara (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) as Trip, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock) as Daniel, and Liza Sadovy (Cabaret) as Lydia.
First premiering in 2015 at the Island City Stage in Florida, this production will mark the play's UK premiere, and 10 years since it first opened. The show will begin performances at the Marylebone Theatre on the 4th of December 2025, and run until the 10th of January 2026, with tickets now on sale from the venue's website.
CATS
New London revival and UK tour to play
A new staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats” is set to play at Regents Park Open Air Theatre in the summer of 2026, which will be followed by a UK tour to commence in October of the same year. It will be directed and choreographed by the theatre’s artistic director Drew McOnie, with further creatives, as well as casting, to be confirmed at a later date. This will be the first major revival of Cats since 2015, when it was staged at the London Palladium starring Beverly Knight as Grizabella, a production which subsequently also toured the UK.
This new staging will run at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from the 25th of July until the 12th of September 2026, followed by a tour commencing in Plymouth, subsequently playing in Hull, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Llandudno and Glasgow. You can sign up for tour presale here, and details about the London run can be found at the Regent's Park website.
DRACAPELLA
New musical based on "Dracula" to open
A fresh new take on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” is set to hit London's Park Theatre this winter, written by renowned TV producer Dan Patterson, and Park Theatre artistic director Jez Bond, as well as being directed by Bond. “Dracapella” retells the classic gothic horror to a soundtrack of popular rock hits sung a Capella, and will feature a stellar cast; performing this eccentric show will be Ako Mitchell (Bonnie & Clyde), Keala Settle (Fly More Than You Fall), Stephen Ashfield (Becoming Nancy), Lorna Want (Beautiful), Monique Ashe-Palmer (SIX) and world champion beatboxer Alex Hackett.
The show will play at the Park Theatre from the 3rd of December until the 17th of January, and tickets are now on sale for all dates from the venue’s website.
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
Full cast announced for world premiere
Their million dreams have come true, as it’s time to meet the cast for the upcoming stage production of Disney’s “The Greatest Showman”, based on the 2017 film of the same name. Leading the cast will be Oliver Tompsett (A Knight’s Tale) as P T Barnum, Samantha Barks (Frozen) as Charity Barnum, Lorna Courtney (& Juliet) as Anne Wheeler, Ben Joyce (Shucked) as Phillip Carlyle, Vajèn van den Bosch (Wicked) as Jenny Lind, and Malinda Parris (The Little Big Things) as Lettie Lutz. Also featuring as Caroline/Young Charity are Mia Raggio, Angelica Pearl Scott and Maya Sewrey, with Helen played by Harly Gill, Ellie McArdle and Eleanor Sebastian, and Young Barnum by Max Bispham, Joel Tennant and Clark Young. Josh St Clair will play Alternate PT Barnum, and Katie Tonkinson is the Standby Anne Wheeler.
Completing the cast are ensemble members Derek Aidoo, Cornelius Atkinson, Matt Bateman, Nikki Bentley, Courtenay Brady, Thea Bunting, Amara Campbell, Jonathan Cordin, Angus Good, Ryesha Higgs, Barney Hudson, Annie Knight, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Liam Marcellino, Ayesha Maynard, Suzie McAdam, Emily McCarthy, Will Meager, Michael Patterson, Stuart Matthew Price, Emile Ruddock, Annie Southall, Zoe Schubert, and swings Abigail Climer, Bobby Cookson, Katrina Dix, Zack Guest, Georgie Hutchinson, Fallon Mondlane, Stephen Rolley, Jess Smith, Blake Tuke and Santino Zapico. “The Greatest Showman” has music/lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Tim Federle; it’s to be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, and have musical supervision by Alex Lacamoire and Richard Beadle. It will run at the Bristol Hippodrome from the 15th of March until the 10th of May 2026, with tickets going on presale on the 4th of November, and general sale on the 6th. You can find out more, and sign up for presale, via the official Greatest Showman website.
ROAM
New musical concert with full cast announced
A new musical, entitled “Roam”, is set to have a one night only staged concert next month, with the cast having also been revealed. Featured in the show will be Ramin Karimloo (Nine) as Yoska, Diego Andres Rodriguez (Evita) as Pesha, Jordan Luke Gage (Saving Mozart) as Stefo, Frances Mayli McCann (The Great Gatsby) as Aishe, Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown) as Vodoma, Hope Lavelle (Phantom of the Opera) as Nanoka, and David Thaxton (Sunset Boulevard) as Philippe.
Featuring music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen, and a book by Michael Dovid, the new musical had an initial workshop presentation in New York City during the spring, and this will be the first time it has been publicly performed. It will play a 6:00pm performance on the 23rd of November at the Shaftesbury Theatre, with tickets now on sale from the venue’s website.
JO: THE LITTLE WOMEN MUSICAL
New musical concert to be staged in London
A semi-staged concert of a new musical about the life of Little Women protagonist Jo March is set to be performed early next year, with initial casting already revealed. Based on the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel, “Jo: The Little Women Musical” will be led by Christine Allado (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and two-time Tony winner Christine Ebersole (War Paint), alongside Kelly Mathieson (South Pacific), Eleanor Grant (Titanic), Sophie Pollono (pro debut) and Tobias Turley (Hot Mess).
The show has music by Dan Redfield, with lyrics and book by Christina Harding and John Gabriel Koladziej. Featuring a 26-piece orchestra, this new musical will play one night only on the 26th of January 2026 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's west end, with tickets now on sale from the LW Theatres website.
REDCLIFFE
New Jordan Luke Gage musical to receive full premiere
A new musical penned by west end favourite Jordan Luke Gage (Bonnie & Clyde, Titanique) is set to have its fully staged world premiere next spring, following a hugely successful week of workshop performances at the Other Palace in 2024. Gage will reprise the role of William that he originated in the workshops, with further casting to be revealed at a later date.
Set in 18th century Bristol, “Redcliffe” is based on the true story of William Critchard and Richard Arnold, and the romance between them that is challenged by the prejudices of the era. The musical will run at Southwark Playhouse Borough from the 22nd of May until the 4th of July, with tickets now on sale starting at £10. You can find more information, as well as ticket sales, from the Southwark Playhouse website.
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